1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a closure assembly, and more particularly a closure assembly including an elongate closure mechanism and a slider operationally disposed thereon, such as might be used on a pouch.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
A pouch that has a pair of opposing pouch walls that define an opening into an interior space may be useful for storing almost any item. However, when storing liquid contents, one challenge is to minimize or eliminate leaks when the opening is closed. A pouch with a resealable closure mechanism along the opening may be particularly useful for storing liquid contents due to the ability to reseal the closure mechanism. Some such closure mechanisms have upper and lower pairs of opposing interlocking profiles to provide two seals along the opening. In addition, a slider is often used on resealable elongate closure mechanisms as a convenient device for sealing and unsealing the interlocking profiles. One challenge for many such slider closure mechanisms is slidably retaining the slider on the interlocking profiles without ripping or snagging the pouch walls and thereby causing leaks. Another challenge is to minimize or eliminate leaks around a separating member in the slider when the slider is in a fully closed position.
In one closure assembly, a rail extends along an exterior side of each of the interlocking profiles. Two opposing inwardly turned flanges along opposite bottom edges of a slider slidably abut the undersides of the rails to operatively retain the slider on the closure mechanism.
In another closure assembly, a slider is operatively disposed on an elongate closure mechanism having upper and lower pairs of opposing interlocking profiles. A separator finger depending from a top wall of the slider is disposed between the upper and lower pairs of opposing interlocking profiles. A lateral flange at a lower end of the separator finger slidably engages an underside of a rail disposed below the lower opposing interlocking profiles to operatively retain the slider on the closure mechanism.
In yet another closure assembly, a slider for a closure mechanism having upper and lower pairs of opposing interlocking profiles has an opening plow that separates the upper and lower pairs of interlocking profiles when slid in an opening direction along the closure mechanism. The plow is a vertical member depending from a top wall of the slider and a horizontal member extending laterally from a lower end of the vertical member outwardly toward left and right sidewalls of the slider between the upper and lower interlocking profiles. The horizontal member presses against a backing member extending between the upper and lower interlocking profiles to separate the interlocking profiles without having the vertical member. The horizontal member also slidably abuts an underside of the upper interlocking profiles to operatively retain the slider on the closure mechanism.